Grass Sickness

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Kirstyb

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Hi, just wondering what people's views are on turning out if grass sickness has been recently diagnosed in your area? Would you keep your horses in for the foreseeable?
 
Vets have issued guidance but doesn't really state whether to turn out still or not. They've supplied statistics and part stabled horses seem relatively low risk but I think not enough is known to make an educated judgement call. Just wondering what others thought
 
Kirstyb said:
Vets have issued guidance but doesn't really state whether to turn out still or not. They've supplied statistics and part stabled horses seem relatively low risk but I think not enough is known to make an educated judgement call. Just wondering what others thought
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I'd make sure there was ad lib hay in the field and stable for when the horse comes in. I would stop any movement of soil on the pasture (if digging for laying drainage pipes for example). I would stop any mechanical horse poo pickers or anything that disturbs the soil in the slightest. Avoid continual use of ivermectin wormers. Minimise poached fields or over grazing.

These are the things that they think are possible links to GS.
 
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Kirstyb said:
Hi, just wondering what people's views are on turning out if grass sickness has been recently diagnosed in your area? Would you keep your horses in for the foreseeable?
Click to expand...

http://www.grasssickness.org.uk/ This website is great, loads of really good sound advise. I've been on a yard in the past that's had instances of Grass Sickness and live in an area which has fairly high occurances. I still turn out, I always will, I just keep my fingers crossed that all will be well.
 
I have often wondered as there is a possible link with soil disturbance, if molehills play any part in the disease? I have run a livery yard for 18 years and a couple of our fields get quite a few molehills in them, and it has crossed my mind whether this increases the risk. We have never had a case of grass sickness to date, but it is something I worry about. It's very difficult to know if turnout would be safe, I think this is like how long is a piece of string. I would either turnout if move yards if it were me as a life in the stable is no life at all in my opinion.
 
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